The appointments come shortly after the international law firm announced the official opening of its Dubai office.

International law firm Mishcon de Reya has appointed three lawyers to join its dispute resolution team in the United Arab Emirates.

Charlotte Bijlani is joining as partner and co-head of the UAE disputes practice. She is joined by managing associate, Haya Al Bawab and associate, Gabriela Benavides.

Gabriela Benavides, Charlotte Bijlani and Haya Al Bawab. 

All three join from Watson Farley & Williams (WFW), where Bijlani was managing partner of the Dubai office and head of their Middle East dispute resolution practice. She is the second partner to join the UAE dispute resolution team this year, following the arrival of partner Bushra Ahmed in March 2026. Her appointment brings the total number of regional partners to seven. MP Christopher Skipper leads the team.

Bijlani brings more than two decades of experience advising clients on high-value, cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration matters. She has a diverse domestic and international client base including high net worth individuals, family businesses, financial institutions, major corporates, governments, sovereign wealth funds as well as companies across the energy, infrastructure, real estate, transport and telecommunications sectors. 

Bijani has dealt with disputes across the Middle East, India, Africa, Asia, Europe and the UK relating to joint ventures/shareholder agreements, fraud, debt recovery and enforcement, investigations, construction, real estate, hospitality, insolvency, aviation, maritime and data protection. She also has extensive experience in aircraft repossessions in the UAE, KSA, Europe and the UK and in seeking interim remedies, in particular, worldwide freezing injunctions.

Bijlani regularly appears as an advocate before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts and has full rights of audience before the English Higher Courts (Civil Division) and the ADGM Courts. She also sits as an arbitrator and is frequently appointed by DIAC and the ICC.

Earlier in June, Mishcon de Reya opened its Dubai office in the One Za'abeel, offering clients support across corporate, dispute resolution, employment, real estate, private wealth, impact, and innovation practice areas.

The team appointment aligns with Mishcon de Reya’s Vision 2030 strategy to expand its international disputes capability and support clients involved in multi jurisdictional litigation and arbitration.